The decidedly qualitative and technological study design drives the study to both understand how Africana women believe they are perceived as well as gaining insight on how they perceive the idea of sexually and culturally affirmed futures. I am aware that by participants sharing their stories and their relationships to sexual or sex-based shaming as a dehumanization effort within Black communities, it is possible participants may not be willing to engage with the
delicate and intimate aspects of the research, which would require and examination of self, their lives and the people in them. However, this study could be beneficial for self-determination and another avenue to moving toward a future of Black liberation through gender and sexuality.
4 FINDINGS
The purpose of this mixed method study was to investigate and examine self-identified Africana women’s perceptions of how their surrounding communities of Africana people perceive them as they approach their social and sexual relationships. The research questions informing the study were:
1) How do Africana women, based on their sexual and social relationships, believe they are perceived by Africana communities?
2) How do Africana women, based on their sexual and social relationships, imagine the creation of sexually and culturally affirming spaces for themselves and other Africana women in the future?
The institutional review boards at Georgia State University approved this study February 12, 2018. This study utilized a mixed method design and was conducted from February 2018 to March 2018. During this period, Africana women across the diaspora were recruited two ways: 1) by using purposive sampling via flyers, found on Appendix B, and posts on social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the survey, found on Appendix C, and 2) Africana women from the United States were recruited from Survey Monkey once they
completed the survey for the interview and Photovoice phases. I posted the following to all three social networks, "ATTENTION: If you are a Black woman, are between the ages of 18-65, and have experienced sexual judgement or shame in the Black community, you are invited to
flyer. Thank you!" and Twitter proved to be the most effective medium. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram users retweeted, shared, posted and circulated the flyer numerous times. Four
hundred- nineteen Africana women participated in the survey and 10 Africana women from the United States were recruited for an hour and twenty-minute interview and Photovoice. There were two informed consent forms included using Survey Monkey. The first was consent for participation in the survey and the second was for interview and Photovoice participation for compensation. The very last question, asked for participants to write a pseudonym name and a way to be contacted via phone number and email. Emails were sent to each possible participant until each replied with their availability of dates and times. One hundred and ninety-four Black women left their contact information.
The interviews took place over a video chatting application of their choice, FaceTime and Google Hangout. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed by the human transcription company, Rev. I explained to each participant before beginning the interview that they would receive a copy of the transcript for verification, and that if necessary, clarifying questions would be asked of them. They received the transcripts within a twenty-four to forty-eight hour time frame via email. All participants verified that the transcripts were mostly accurate and clarified over both a phone call and email any questions that I had. Each participant had a week from the date of their interview to complete the following questions for the Photovoice component, found on Appendix F:
1) Using the camera on your phone, could you capture an image of what it has looked or felt like to be sexually shamed by Black people within your community?
2) Based on your social and sexual relationships, using the camera on your phone, could you capture an image of how you imagine a future that affirms you and other Black women culturally and sexually? This will be a future where you are sexually free.
Participants were paid with $20 Amazon gift cards. Each participant received payment after they submitted their photos and captions.
In four sections, this chapter discusses the 419 participants, and the data and information that was collected for the survey. The second section presents individual profiles for the 10 participants who participated in both the interview and Photovoice. The third section presents the data from both phases from the participants. The final section provides a summation of the chapter.
4.1 Survey
The entire survey consisted of 15 questions, but 11 of the questions were designed specifically to gather demographics and sexual shaming data. The first question asked
participants if they agreed to participate in the survey after reading the informed consent form, which can be found on Appendix A1. If participants answered “no,” participants could no longer continue on with the survey. To inform demographic data participants were asked questions regarding their geography and religiousity. Participants were able to skip questions, with the exception of Question 1. Once participants answered “yes,” they were provided with the mental health resource, Therapy for Black Girls, via a website link.
4.1.1 Sociodemographics
Questions 2 to 7 asked participants demographic questions: 2. Do you identify as Black or a person of African descent? 3. What is your age?
4. Do you agree or disagree with the gender assignment you were given at birth? 5. What is your sexual orientation?
6. Are you from the United States or Elsewhere? (If you are not from the United States please write where you are from in the comment box)
7. Do you or did you belong to a faith-based or religious community? (If yes, please write where in the comment box)
Here are the sociodemographic results as follows that can be found in Table 1.
Table 1 Sociodemographic Description of Africana Women Survey Participants
Sociodemographic N Skips % Average
Racial Classification Black Person of African descent 305 38 76 88.92 11.08 Age of participants (18-61) 348 71 21.44 Agreement with gender assignment at birth Agree Disagree 328 18 73 94.80 5.20 Sexual Orientation Lesbian Heterosexual Bisexual Same-Gender Loving Pansexual Queer Asexual 9 171 90 3 25 38 1 82 2.87 50.74 26.71 .89 7.42 11.28 .30
From the United States or Elsewhere US
(African diasporic comments from mostly outside of the US)
317 36
Faith-based or Religious Community Yes, I did and still do Yes, I did, but I do not any longer No 121 173 52 73 34.97 50.00 15.03
Although, approximately 89 percent of the participants identified as Black and
approximately 11 percent of them identified as a person of African descent, some participants shared within the comments section their preferred racial identification. Out of the 19 comments, some stated they preferred to be identified as African-American, a descendant of enslaved Africans in the US, Afro-Latina, a Caribbean woman of African and Indian descent, a Guyanese American, and a Black African.
The study recruited participants between the ages of 18-65, but the oldest participant that was willing to identify their age was 61. The average age of participants was approximately 21. Out of the 346 participants who answered questions regarding their gender assignment at birth, 18 indicated they were not in agreement with their gender assignment; however, at least 31 people, perhaps some reflected from the 18 that selected “I disagree (specify in the comment box), provided information about their gender identity that was not in alignment with what what they were assigned at birth. Agreement with the gender assignment at birth indicates cisgender identity, and disagreement with the gender assignment at birth indicates transgender identity. Some participants shared that they identify as a gender non-conforming femme, a woman, a female, genderfluid, and bigender, as both boy and girl.
Relating to sexual orientation, 49.47 percent of participants that answered this question did not identify as heterosexual. 21 participants discussed their sexual orientations in more detail.
Some participant comments included “Demi-Bisexual (Demisexual/Bisexual),” “I’m unsure,” “mostly straight bisexual,” and “I’m gray-ace so I am open to dating and having sex with anyone but rarely.”
Of those who did not skip the question regarding location, 317 participants were from the United States, and 36 participants discussed where they were from if they were not from the United States. However, some participants from the United States commented with locations within the United States. Some of the participants were from South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nigeria Kenya, London, Ireland, Haiti, Botswana, Swaziland, Guyana, Mexico, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico.
A total of 346 participants answered the question regarding being part of religious or faith-based communities. Nearly 35 percent of participants belonged to a faith-based community and still do, while nearly 15 percent of participants answered that they have never been a part of this kind of community. However, 50 percent of the participants used to belong to this kind of community, but do not any longer. Most participants elaborated on the religious and faith-based communities that they are or were once part of which mostly included Protestant Christianity with some participants answering Islam and Catholicism.
These questions were gathered to receive insight on the demographics to understand the next round of questions.
4.1.2 Sexual Shaming
Questions 8 through 12 informed the sexual shaming aspect of the survey as indicated in Table 2. The questions were:
9. Have you experienced judgment from Black communities based on your sexual and social relationships?
10.Have you ever been called out of your name? (Ex. hoe, slut, bitch, thot, slur against your sexual orientation or gender identity, etc.)
11.Have you ever been made to feel slighted or bad about how you identifysexually or based on your sexual-decision making choices? (Could you explain in the comment box?) 12.How often have you experienced sexual shaming?
Table 2 Sexual Shaming Description of Africana Women Survey Participants
Questions N Skips % Average
How old were you when people started to look at you or notice you in a sexual way? (ages 2-20) 350 69 9.88 Have you experienced judgment from Black communities based on your sexual and social relationships? Yes No 330 20 69 94.29 5.71
Have you ever been called out of your name? (Ex. ho, slut, bitch, thot, slur against your sexual orientation or gender identity, etc.) Yes No 326 23 70 93.41 6.59
Have you ever been made to feel slighted or bad about how you identify sexually based on your sexual-decision making choices? (If yes, could you explain in the comment box) Yes No Comments 251 99 191 69 71.71 28.29
How often have you experienced sexual shaming? I never have I have experienced it a few times I have experienced it more than a few times I have experienced it frequently 6 135 119 90 69 1.71 38.57 34.00 25.71
“How old were you when people started to look at you or notice you in a sexual way”
Out of the 350 participants who answered the question, the average age of what they perceive as their sexualization was approximately 10. The youngest age was 2 and the oldest age was 20. The median age was 11.
“Have you experienced judgment from Black communities based on your sexual and social relationships?”
350 participants answered the question and while approximately 94 percent of participants answered “yes,” only approximately 6 percent of participants answered “no.”
“Have you ever been called out of your name? (Ex. ho, slut, bitch, thot, slur against your sexual orientation or gender identity, etc.)”
326 participants, approximately 93 percent, answered “yes” and 23 participants, approximately 7 percent, answered “no.” 350 participants answered this question.
“Have you ever been made to feel slighted or bad about how you identify sexually based on your sexual-decision making choices? (If yes, could you explain in the comment box)”
Out of the 350 participants who answered the question, 251 participants, approximately 72 percent, answered “yes.” 99 participants, approximately 28 percent, answered “no.” Over 191 participants explained their experiences. Below are excepts from their comments:
Respondent 1- "People see bisexual women as people who are willing to screw anyone. We are seen as objects of lust, to satisfy the craving of others. In the lgbtq community we're not gay enough or shamed for not picking a side. Men have made me feel like my purpose as a bisexual woman was to let them have THEIR fun, not my own."
Respondent 2- "Numerous prayer meetings were organized in order to pray away my "queer demons". I was later asked to step down as a youth leader because I was dating a woman and that was a sign that I was possessed."
Some respondents emphasized the struggle of behaving like a lady, by not engaging in sex or practicing abstinence before marriage, some respondents struggled with non-normative or heterosexual desires, but having to present as if they are heterosexual to the world and some have been attacked for not dating cisgendered men. Additional responses also included being
identified as dirty or abnormal by family members and church-going Black people, engaging in sex without emotional attachments, being shamed for being a lesbian that is “too pretty” and in need of a man, because of it, and being identified as promiscuous or abnormal for being a sex worker. Respondents stated that family members believe they are struggling, because God is
punishing them for their queer identity, and a few respondents were shamed for not desiring sex at all.
“How often have you experienced sexual shaming?”
This question was proposed in a way that measured the degree or severity to which participants have experienced sexual shaming. 6 participants, nearly 2 percent, answered that they have never experienced sexual shaming. 135 participants, nearly 39 percent, experienced sexual shaming a few times. 119 participants, 34 percent, have experienced sexual shaming more than a few times and 90 participants, nearly 26 percent, have frequently experienced sexual shaming.
Question 13 asked participants if they were interested in participating in the full study for compensation:
Are you interested in participating in the full study for compensation? The full study includes an interview and a process known as Photovoice, in addition to this survey. The interview will ask you questions regarding how you feel the Black community perceives your sexual and social relationships. You will also be asked about your own sexual attitudes and experiences. The interview will take place on FaceTime, Google Hangout or an application that is most accessible to you. The Photovoice section of the study requires you to submit four photos. They are visual examples of what it feels like to be sexually judged by Black people in your community and visual examples of a sexually and culturally relevant future where you are safe and free. If you are interested, please continue by writing an alternate name (do not write your real name), and a way for Student Principal Investigator, Melanie McCoy, to contact you, by writing your email address and phone number.
Out of the 350 participants who responded nearly 64 percent of them answered “yes” and they gained access to the informed consent form (Appendix A2) for the interview and
Photovoice phases. Participants were given multiple opportunities to consent or not consent to participate in the full study, because I wanted to ensure they understood what was entailed in the full study. Nearly 36 percent of students answered “no” and they were thanked for participating in the study. For those who responded with “yes,” after reading over the informed consent form they were asked: * Please, select 'yes' to indicate agreement to participate in this study.
Approximately 99 percent of participants out of 211 agreed to participate, while .95 percent (2) did not agree to participate. Participants were asked to select an alternate name of their choosing as well as leave their email address and phone number. Potential participants were emailed regarding their interest and availability and participants were selected based on whether or not they responded. Some potential participants responded, but were not able to participate.
4.2 The Participants
Ten Black women living in the United States, ranging in age between 21 and 38 and have experienced sexual shaming have participated in the study. Tori James, Trina, Monet, Sapio Paz, Taylor Rose, Joyful Sunshine Wakandan, Courtney, Nnenni, Nethilia and Soul participated in semi-structured interviews. Every participant with the exception of Nethilia, participated within the Photovoice phase.
Each participant received a preliminary questionnaire, a demographics form, which can be found on Appendix D. The interview guide, found on Appendix E, consisted of 39 questions. The first part were preliminary while the rest were divided into Sexual Double Standard, Sexual Self-Efficacy and Decision- Making, Sexual and Gender Discrimination and Safe Space sections. All participants had an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, or higher. Most participants
identified themselves as being LGBTQ with the exception of two participants. The majority of participants indicated some sort of struggle with their mothers, but it should be noted that most emphasized their love for them.
Below are the individual profiles of the interview and Photovoice participants. To provide the appropriate context for their personas within the study, I use their own words.
4.3 The Interview
Tori James. From Lithonia, Georgia, Tori James is a bisexual 24-year-old, who graduated with her Bachelor’s degree. She has a boyfriend and she enjoys going to the movies and trying new restaurants with him. She enjoys engaging in sex with him and believes that sex is a healthy part of relationships. Although, she lives with her mother, she expressed that her relationship with her is “just okay” and “here and there.” She believes that it is harder to be a Black woman in
America, because not only is it hard to be Black, being a woman makes things much worse. She recalls the sexual double standards she faced with her peers during her college years. She knew a man who pledged for a fraternity during his sophomore or junior year of college, who had sex with at least 200 women and “the whole world was just dropping panties for him.” However, any woman who did what he was able to would be deemed a problem; “she’s a hoe.” Even if people deal with her they will still talk about her. She likened this double standard to the perceptions of Amber Rose and Blac Chyna, because “people talk about them all day long.” She